Buying and Selling Your Car in Vietnam

Here's everything you need to know about buying or selling a car, including what documents you'll need to have.

Posted on

12 May 2014

|Last updated on 2 January 2018

Buying a car privately is very similar to buying one from a dealership. Please see registering a car for information regarding the documents needed for the sale to proceed. In order to sell a car just follow the same instructions for the seller. Just note that if you are married you will need to provide a notarized copy of your marriage certificate as well as a photo identification (id.) of your spouse in order for the sale to go through successfully.

Foreigners must meet the following criteria if they want to own a car in Vietnam:

Are living and working in Vietnam

Possess a valid passport

Have a visa that is longer than three months

Have a valid work permit and a Vietnamese driver’s licence

If the buyer wants to purchase a car from another province the buyer will have to take all the legal documentation to that province and get it notarized. The sale should take pace in that province and the registration should be done in the buyer’s province of residence. It’s quite a long process and is not a recommended route for buyers to take.

Sometimes buyers don’t consider the cost of running a car in Vietnam, and many are astounded at the expenses that come with owning a vehicle. LookatVietnam.com looked at how much running a car would cost back in 2009, and it was estimated that in the first three years a vehicle owner would spend:

Before you consider buying a car you will have to consider all the expenses that come along with it. Many expats do not recommend buying a car at all unless you are prepared to get a driver as the way the people drive takes some getting used to. In fact many expats advise against getting a car at all, many cars won’t fit into a lot of streets in Ha Noi and many advise that getting a motorbike is more viable then a car. However the choice is yours. Should you wish to buy a car here are a few places that sell second hand vehicles in Vietnam.